Prologue

The air was disgustingly fresh outside as the wind blew through his hair, yet the feeling was eerie and had a distinct ominous touch. It relaxed him somewhat to know that somewhere this very night evil was making its move. Some would say that he was that evil slithering around in the darkness, under the menacing moonlight, but tonight other things were on his mind; more frustrating things. He was rogue now.

He had just cut his ties completely from Konoha. His secret studies had been leaked somehow, and as soon as he was figured out, they had sent out a battalion to attack him. Orochimaru knew that the old man had suspected him. That scum of a mentor, Sarutobi, always had it in for him, just the thought that he chose one of Jiraiya's students to be the Fourth Hokage and not he outraged him to the highest degree. He had thought to retaliate against the blonde spiky headed boy named Minato, to test his power and see the difference in their strength, but thought against it. It would just be a waste of time, though the question still stood why Minato and not him? He roughly palmed his forehead.

"Screw Konoha," he hissed, continuing to make his way through the dense forest.

His mind suddenly drifted back to the fact that he was lucky enough to think ahead and concoct a plan for if ever he were ever figured out; his mentor's compassion. He let me go just as I planned. He always thought ahead, like the genius he was, but apparently he wasn't ingenious or powerful enough for the scum councilmen of Konoha. No matter though, he would have his revenge on the Hidden Leaf, no matter what it took, no matter who he had to claw through, no matter all the unlucky Anbu they threw at him, no matter what illnesses came his way, no matter all the forces working against him, HE WOULD GET HIS-

His train of thought stopped, and so did his legs. He could have sworn he heard something behind the bushes, it was faint but his instincts were always sharp. He waited and listened. Could the Anbu have followed him this far, no, he would have surely been attacked by now and he had made sure they were far behind. He couldn't have them knowing the whereabouts of his secret hideout. When he heard nothing he continued on, but stayed alert for any sudden attacks, it would be bad if he were attacked off guard. Damn Konoha, always causing trouble for him. It would have been ironic that the last thing on his mind during his last breath would be the pathetic village.

"If only I could-," he froze once more. The sound, like a child sniffling, he heard it and knew this time he was not imagining things. He cautiously approached the bushes, and when he caught the scent of blood he carelessly passed through. He grinned at what he saw, it was a little girl covered in blood. How ironic, I need more children for my experiments. Out of habit his tongue glazed over his lips.

Orochimaru examined her a bit. Her eyes were downcast, and she sat so still, that if he were not so skilled in the human body he would not have notice the signs of life that was still within her. Her raven colored hair was matted around her face by all the fresh and dried up blood. Her clothing was horribly torn, as if she had gone through a scuffle, maybe raped. She must have gotten away. Well how unfortunate for her she fell into my hands.

"What is a sssweet little girl like you doing in the forest all alone?" he asked, taking a few steps in her direction, until he stood above her. The girl did not answer; she didn't even so much as flinch. He smirked. His arm suddenly morphed into a large snake, releasing hundreds of his snakes upon her, but even as they threatened to bite she didn't move. He called them off, and they morphed into his arm once more.

He furrowed his brow in annoyance, and crouched in front of her. He grabbed her by her hair, and pulled her head up so that he could look into the eyes of the pathetic child. Orochimaru recoiled, releasing her head when his amber eyes made contact with her turquoise. They were cold, without fear, and they were lost as if replaying a horrible scene, they were so much like his when his-

She sniffled once more, but this time she moved. She lifted her head, and once again her eyes met with his, they now being a pale brown. How strange. He would not use her as an experiment, she wasn't worth his time. As a matter of fact she disgusted him. He stood and decided to continue on, but was surprised when he felt someone grab his hand. He looked down to see that it was the brat. Orochimaru tugged his arm to undo her grip, but she would not release him. "Let go, or else," he warned. She gave his arm a tug back, and the movement caused her already tattered shirt to slide down her shoulder. He was surprised when he saw the golden crescent moon tattoo on her shoulder. Can it be? No it can't.

Getsugakure no soto, the Village Hidden under the Moon, yes, that was where he was right now, but could it be that the ancient wolf tribe still resided here? They were supposed to be extinct after all the attacks on them to receive the ancient magic in the crescent moon tattoo upon their shoulder. It was said to heal you for life, fighting against any illnesses, any injuries, and most of all death. Could he have found one of them? It could be a coincidence, but if she were the real deal what kind of power did she hold, or more importantly what did it hold for his future?

His train of thought was interrupted once more when she tugged on his arm for a second time. "What do you want?" he questioned her. Her annoying silence was working his nerves. She still did not answer him. She only looked into his eyes with her cold ones. She struggled to her feet, finally releasing her hold on him. Her head sagged. He took a moment to look at her and slightly nodded, continuing on his way. He listened to her shuffling as she followed behind him. If she was part of the ancient tribe then he could not let this chance pass. For a while he would let her stay with him until he could force the truth out of her. He couldn't believe it, but he was about to do this.

"Why?" Kabuto asked.

They both watched as the young girl slept. She didn't even take the offer of clean clothes and a bath. As soon as she saw the bed in her bedroom, she threw herself onto it, bloody body and all, instantly falling into a deep sleep.

Orochimaru looked to his loyal right hand man. Apparently Kabuto knew nothing of the Wolf Tribe Hidden under the Moon myth, or else when he saw the golden crescent moon tattoo he would have said something. There was also the dog tribe, but she of course couldn't be both. The wheels in his head suddenly started turning. No, that can't be.

"Lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto said staring at him quizzically. Orochimaru looked back to the girl.

"You know Kabuto, I don't know." Right hand man or not, he didn't have to tell him everything. She'll reveal it all soon enough. Mission "Immortality" is in order.

Weeks passed and the girl still had not spoken. She didn't even so much as cough in front of him. He put her through intense training, and she accepted every bit of it without any complaint, but he also gave it without any remorse. He would not hold off on his attacks just because she was a child. Why should he care anyways, she was nothing to him but a potential body. Of course her tolerance for pain was much higher than any other child, being as she was a strong mythical creature, but she still had not admitted to that. The damn girl just wouldn't talk! And he was losing his patience. The only time she did acknowledge a question was when Kabuto asked if she would at least give her name. Orochimaru assumed it was because he called her vile names because she wouldn't speak her name, so he gave her a few of his own. She wrote her name down on a piece of paper, Anko. It was enough for Kabuto, as he started to call her by her given name, but it wasn't enough for him! He continued on calling her vile names, until she spoke her given name out loud.

"Get up swine!" he called to her. He could see the hate she had for him in her pale brown colored eyes. Good, she will need it. He also noticed that she hadn't gotten up. "Oh, not liking that name today? How about little bitch?" She bared her teeth at him, but he only grinned in her direction. He watched as her form slowly rose from the ground. He noticed many things about her these past weeks. There were two scars under her neck from where she had bled those weeks ago, and all that was left now were two claw looking marks. Her raven tresses grew longer in such a short time that they now reached her waist. She looked to be ten at most, but of course he didn't know whether that was correct or not since she wouldn't speak.

She swiftly ran toward him, aiming to punch him in the face, but he simply deflected her attack by grabbing her wrist, and throwing her to the ground. He kicked her in her chest, but she held in her need to cough, he could tell. If she won't speak, I'll make her scream.

He held her down and took out a Kunai from his pouch. His tongue slide across his lips with the anticipation of spilt blood, and he moved the Kunai to her cheek. She didn't so much as flinch or squirm. He moved his face closer to hers. "Not scared? Well I'll make you ssscared," he hissed. Orochimaru slid the Kunai over her gentle skin. He watched as the sharp metal sliced into her flesh and the essence that seeped out as the blade glided further down. She tightly shut her eyes. Orochimaru slid the kunai until it reached the scar on her neck, but stopped, barely touching the scar. Her eyes opened to glare into his, but still there was no fear. He quickly made a deep gash into her shoulder, but she only squinted. He sliced into the other shoulder, her hand gripped his arm, and he could feel her nails digging into his skin. He made another gash on her cheek, thigh, abdomen, and stood pinning her down with his foot as her grabbed her hand, facing it palm up. She was finally squirming beneath his feet, but still no words. Right as he was about to plunge the blade into her palm he heard his name.

"Lord Orochimaru!" He turned from her palm to look into her eyes, and finally there was fear, but still a bit of hate. It wasn't her who had spoken his name. His eyes drifted across the training ground to see Kabuto watching them. Suddenly the young man was standing before them. "You were to meet with the Akatsuki today." He released the girl's hand, and lowered himself to level with her ear.

"You should speak up if the training is too much." And with a sadistic smirk he went on his way.

"Kabuto it will come to the day when I will just end her life. I have no more patience for her. I shall just end her miserable life I tell you." He said as Kabuto experimented on a new body they had captured to perfect his curse mark. They all seemed to just die. He ignored all the times Kabuto asked why he wouldn't try it on her. "She doesn't want to be here and I don't want her here."

"Lord Orochimaru I always puzzle over the reason why you are still tolerating her when there is no reason what so ever, with nothing that will benefit you. You have been training her for a while now, and she has not shown any progress, yet you tolerate her. I also find it ironic that you say she does not want to be here, when throughout her studies with me, I can see her progress intellectually and emotionally, even if she still communicates with me through paper and pencil."

"Just get to the point Kabuto." The young man chuckled.

"Well, I think she actually wants to stay here, and, I think she enjoys your presence even if you treat her like she is the lowest scum on Earth, but all in all I don't think she ever wants to leave."

That is what Kabuto had said to him a year ago and yet she still hadn't spoken, after so much time she still hadn't spoken! Weeks turned into months, months turned into a year, and a year turned into three years, yet no words. The only thing that changed over the years was her growth, his bodies, and his hideouts from constant invasions. A year passed since he removed himself from the Akatsuki, and now he was stuck on immortality, yet the girl was still as pathetic as the first day he met her.

He sat in a wooden chair in her room, and she sat on her bed. They stared and stared at each other in silence. He glared at her and she gave him a blank look. He came to realize that she no longer glared at him with pure burning hate, but only stared with the same blank look.

"I should kill you wench," he stated. She only blinked. "But instead of that I'll just make you leave." It was in that moment her brow furrowed, as if the idea wasn't a good one. It was then that he knew it was in fact a good one. "You'll leave in two days. Like the scum you are you'll live in the woods." Her mouth opened, and he raised a brow at her. She suddenly shut her mouth, and tore her gaze away from his as if she were ashamed. He took that as a sign he should go. "Be ready, for the day you leave is the day we head out to destroy a distant village."

He stood and made his way to the door, and as he moved to shut it he heard a sigh. It was the first sound he ever heard from her.

Today was the last day he would see her and she still had not spoken. He fought without trouble, but she fought and she fought hard, taking out enemies swiftly. It had been a while since he had been this enraged. She had fought falsely during her training and was actually taking out enemies that should have killed her.

Her moves were fluid and flawless. She had amazing skill and prowess. She was like a warrior as she battled, but the point of her fighting was for her to die and here she was killing like it was second nature, and the way she killed was twisted and sick. She actually reminded him of himself. She had a grin on her face as she killed innocent people ruthlessly. Where had this come from! Why was she hiding!

The battle ended when she plunged her sword into the last shinobi of the small village. This was unacceptable, and at times she even threw herself in front of attacks aimed at him. If possible his eyes would be burning holes into her skull. He approached her from behind, and for the first time ever she flinched.

"You hid your abilities, and you wasted my time! It is a miracle that I haven't even killed you yet!" She said nothing. He grabbed her by her hair, which was tied back, tugging her head so that she looked into his eyes. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't end your life?" Her eyes searched his for something, but his attention was on the fact that she still hadn't spoken. He threw her into the ground and turned away. "Live a lonely and miserable life little bitch."

"It's Anko!" He froze in mid step, he would have continued on assuming it was his imagination, if not for her second outburst. "My name is Anko, and you be sure to remember that!"

He turned to her, she was glaring at him once more, but they were not filled with hate, but with anger. He slowly made his way toward her, and it didn't go without notice how she squirmed. This was entirely new to him. Restraining from expressing any emotion in his features he spoke. "What did you just say?" he asked, more rhetorical than an actual question.

"I-I said-"

Before she could finish he took hold of her small neck. "I know what you ssaid," he hissed against her lips. He gave her his infamous evil smirk. It looked like he just found his new body.